Folding stretcher



May 15, 1956 R. A. COTE 2,745,114

FOLDING STRETCHER Filed June 26, 1952 3 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR. PAoul. A.`CorE 24u42 41 romve Y May 15, 1956 R. A. COTE 2,745,114

FOLDING STRETCHER 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June 26, 1952 INVENTOR. RAOUL A. COTE May l5, 1956 R. A. COTE 2,745,114

FOLDING STRETCHER Filed June 26, 1952 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR.

" PAaun. A. Coval 'FI-1113 8%,.27

#frown/Ev United States PatentO FOLDING STRETCHER IRaoul A.` Cot, Montreal, Quebec, Canada Application June 26, 1952, Serial No. 295,739

3 Claims. (Cl. 5-82) This invention relates to a new and improved folding lightweight stretcher, cot, etc., the construction of which provides an extremely lightweight but strong, rugged d.; vice of the class described which is quickly and easily collapsed to occupy a very small space, or extended for use.

The principal object of the invention resides in the provision of a stretcher which is, telescopic as to the side members thereof and having a special construction to -avoid the possibility of the entrance of dirt, sand, etc. into the telescoping members. v

Another object of the invention resides in the provision of a pair of longitudinal stretcher side bars that are telescopic to be extended for use or telescoped for being carried or stored as for instance in an airplane, automobile, etc. and having a llexible body carrying member extending between the stretcher bars and covering the same to exclude the entrance of dirt, said body supporting member having special means at the ends thereof for excluding sand and dirt at the ends; .thepiovision of a new andimproved leg and toggle construction, and the provision of new and improved telescoping handles at the ends of the telescoping side bars, said handles providing against the entrance of dirt at Ithe ends of the ,telescoping members, and including a new and improved first-aid kit secured thereto, etc. f

Other objects and advantages of the invention will appear hereinafter.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. l is a plan view of the stretcher in extended condition;

Fig. 2 is `a side View with the body carrying member omitted;

Fig. v3 is an enlarged section through the end of a' leg bracket;

Fig. 4 is a detail, partly in section, illustrating the telescope construction of the side bars;

Fig, 5 is a detail view of afabric retaining ring;

Fig. 6 is a view in side elevation, partly in section, of a leg bracket;

Fig. 7 is a front view thereof; g n

Fig. 8 is a view in elevation of the handle construction but being in section;

Fig. 9 is a view in side elevation of the device completely collapsed;

Fig. l0 is a detail of the end construction of the body supporting member;

Fig. ll is a view in'elevation cfa modification of one of the stretcher legs, parts being in section;

Fig. l2 is a front view thereof;

Fig. 13 is a view in elevation showing a further modiiication; and

Fig. 14 is a top plan view thereof.

The present invention comprises a pair of similar side bars generally indicated at 10, each of which comprises a central cylindrical member included therein, there being a pair of telescoping tubes 12, the latter repeating the ice construction as by further telescoping tubes 14 and 16. Each of these tubes 12 is made so that it allows the extraction therefrom of the next smaller tube to a degree providing for a tive or six inch overlap as indicated at 18 in Fig. 4. By this means, the tubes 12, 14 and 16 are all wholly collapsible within the center tube but when the members are extracted, they have a sufiicient overlap so that the stretcher may support a heavy man standing on the side bars without deection thereof sufcient to destroy the usefulness of the device, and so that the tubes may again be telescoped back into the center tubes.

The end tubes 16 are adapted to kbe received and secured to cylindrical portions 20 of leg brackets 22 which are provided with rims 24 in which'are formed circular grooves 26 which receive the ends of a fabric tube 28 formed by seams 30 in a stretcher body supporting member 32. At the end of each fabric tube 28, there isvanother seam receiving a split ring 34 which is tightly received in a groove 26, thus holding the fabric supporting member 32 to the leg bracket portions 20 so that when the stretcher is either folded or extended, it will always fold or extend the fabric 32 with it.

Each leg member 22, as shown, is in the, form of a continuous loop having a at bottom'for supporting on the ground. The bracket 22 is provided with a slot 3 6 at the inside aspect thereof, this slot having a pivot-pin 38 therethrough pivotally mounting a toggle leg 49. These toggle legs extend toward each other (see Fig. l) and are connected by a toggle plate 42 such'that when the legs 40 are extended past dead center, they will hold the telescoping side bars in separated condition of the stretcher. In thisevent, the fabric itself willl provide counter-tension to hold the toggles in the Fig. 1 position, but if the fabric should through any condition of use become stretched, belts 44 may be provided for this tension. f

The toggle arms40 are shown folded in Fig. 9 and in this case they extend toward each other longitudinally of the stretcher. It is to be noted that Figs. 1 and 9 are on the samev scale and illustrate the relative extensibility ofthe stretcher.

The cylindrical members 20 slidably receive handles 46, each of which is provided with a plurality of longitudinally spaced holes 48 receiving snap pin 50'in the leg member 22 (see Figs. 6 and 8) to hold the handles either extended, partly extended, or in telescoped condition within the tubes and the members 20. A slot 51 may be used to insurevk correct rotative alignment of the handles with the pins. A pair of these handles may be provided at their inner ends with a screw-thread for receiving a first-aid kit 52 having a screw at one end, so that if the handle be fully extracted, the first-aid kit will be immediately available. If the kit were located loosely in the telescoping side bars, it would rattle and the stretcher would have to be up-ended in order to extract the same. There are provided apair of gaskets 54 to seal member 20 against the entrance of Vdirt when the handle is extended or when it is housed as in the Fig. 9 showing.

The seam at 30 forms a triangular shaped opening (see Fig. l0) and in order to close this against entrance of dirt or sand, there is provided a ilap 56 which may be of some resilient material that may be stretched over around the tube and snap fastened as at 58 so as to completely close the open ends of the fabric tubes 28 which are occasioned by the gradually decreasing tubes 12, 14 and 16, Fig. 1. v

Flaps 56 are secured to the fabric as by stitching or any other means at one side of such end openings, and are stretched down and around the cylindrical portions 20, and secured at the other side of the openings by snaps 58 as stated.

There may also be provided as many straps 60 as may be necessary to strap the body in the stretcher and other variations within the scope of the yinvention maybe made without departing therefrom.

In Fig. 11 there is shown a carrying handle ,and leg combination 62 having a `Ypin 63 depressed by upward movement of asmanual lever,64, saidpin .having a spring 65 maintaining it in kuppermost position ,in ,latching arrangement with the side telescopic tube 66. rThis construction forms a very convenient manner ,of Vlatching the parts in telescoping position.

If desired, `thelatching construction shown in Fig. 11 may be used with a rotatable combined leg Vand carrying handle 67 mounted by means of a sleeve `68 ,on a vpin 69 fastened to abracket 70-which correspondsof course tothe bracket shown in Fig. 6. In this case, -Atheleg 67 maybe positioned wheredesired. Eorfinstance, it may be extended, as in 'brokenlines in Fig. 14 or itxmaybe turned to the side asfshown in solid lines 4in Fig. 14; or it may be vreversed 180 degrees from thebroken line shown in Fig. 13, depending upon which situation is most 'convenient as for carrying, storage, vor in actual use in confined quarters.

Having thus described my invention and the advantages thereof, I do not wish to be Ylimited .to the details herein disclosed, otherwise than as set forth in .the claims, but what I claim is:

1. Aidevice ofthe class described comprising a pair of multiple hollow telescoping side bars each side bar including a largest central member and telescoping members of decreasing diameter extending from each end thereof, folding end members pivoted thereto to hold the same in spaced relation,'and a.exible bodyfsupporting member connected to said side bars, rsaid member having seam-formed longitudinal tubular pockets to receive and cover the side bars, said pockets having openings at the4 ends larger than the ends of the side bars, and `end flaps on the body supporting member to close the seam-formed pockets at the ends of the side bars.

2. A device of the class described comprising telescoping side bars, a flexible body supporting member secured to the side bars, a bracket at each end of each side bar, a hollow handle-receiving portion on each bracket, a slidable handle in said portion, means to latch the handle in housed or extended condition with respect thereto, a leg on each bracket, a slot in each bracket, and a pivotal toggle member in each slot, the toggle members being interpivoted in pairseach said hollow handle receiving portion being cylindrical and means to detachably secure the body supporting member thereto, so that the latter extends and folds as the side bars are 4extended or telescoped, said `body lsupporting vmember having a tubular seam at each edge, the ends of the tubular seams extending over the edges ofthe cylindrical handle receiving portions of the brackets.

3. The device of claim 2 including a flexible flap at each end of each tubular seam and means to secure the flap in position to cover any gap between vthe outside of the Aend part yof the side bar and theinside of .the,seam.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 542,374 Sauerbier July 9, 1895 919,159 Goddard Apr. v20, 1909 1,164,828 Luria Dec. 21, 1'9'15 1,205,186 Fuchs Nov, 21, 1916 1,305,388 Luria June 3, 1919 1,944,064 Byer Ian. 16, 1934 2,087,984 McAfee et al. July 27, 1937 2,203,193 Ettinger June 4, 11940 2,226,307 Ettinger Dec. 24, 1940 2,324,665 Ayres July 20, 41943 2,347,389 Baker Apr. 25, 1944 2,351,146 Pike June k13, 1944 FOREIGN PATENTS 13,359 Great yBritain July 1, 1901 4488,908 Great lBritain 'July 15, 1938 

